Bricklaying devices

ABSTRACT

A device for accurately laying bricks comprising a frame positionable on a previously laid course of bricks or a wall base, a maintained in position by means of clamping devices. The device may be used for building single or cavity walls. Means are provided on the device for ensuring accurate positioning of the bricks in the horizontal and vertical planes, and for pointing the horizontal and vertical joints between the bricks.

United States Patent 151 3,695,571 Preiskel [451 Oct. 3,1972

[5 BRICKLAYING DEVICES 2,674,116 4/1954 Erp... ..25/l 18 D [72]Inventor: David Preiskel 27 Aylestone Ave" 3,203,070 8/1965 Kolakowslkret al ..25/l 18 D London England Primary Examiner-J. Spencer Overholser[22] Filed: June 16, 1970 Assistant Examiner-Lucius R. Frye [211 App!No: 46,788 Attorney-Stevens, Davis, Miller & Mosher [57] ABSTRACT [30]Foreign Application Priority Data A device for accurately laying brickscomprising a June 18, 1969 Great Britain ..30,935/69 frame positionableon a previously laid course of bricks or a wall base, a maintained inposition by [52] US. Cl. ..249/53, 249/19, 425/3l8 means of clampingdevices. The device may be used [51] Int. Cl ..B29c 11/00 for buildingsingle or cavity walls. Means are provided [58] Field of Search..2S/l C,1 D, 1 F, 118 D, 118 R, on the device for ensuring accurate positioningof the 25/ 121 R, 121 A, 121 M, 121 P, 121 Z; bricks in the horizontaland vertical planes, and for 425/318, 458; 249/ l7, I9, 20, 21, 53pointing the horizontal and vertical joints between the bricks. [56]References Cited 13 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures UNITED STATES PATENTS2,642,736 6/1953 Peper et a] ..25/1 18 D PATENTEDnma I972 3.695.571

suwanr 4 F/GJO BRICKLAYING DEVICES This invention relates to a devicefor improving the efficiency and accuracy of bricklaying or wallbuilding.

The traditional method of bricklaying involves the use of a piece ofstring and a spirit level and/or plumb line. The mortar is piled bymeans of a trowel on the upper surface of a brick already in place or ona wall base, where it forms a mound. A further brick is then taken, itsabutment face is smeared with mortar and it is lowered into position onthe mound until its upper edge is in line with a horizontally stretchedpiece of string and its smeared abutment face is hard up against thepreviously laid brick. Excess mortar exuding at the front or back of thebrick is scraped out with the trowel leaving a recessed and rough mortarline between the I courses of bricks which, at a subsequent stage, israked out and pointed. In traditional wall building, the corners arebuilt up first for several courses. The string can then be stretchedbetween the various courses of the corners and the intervening portionof the wall completed as above. The vertical accuracy of the wall,therefore, depends on the care with which the corners are built up.Whereas a slightly tilted brick in the middle section of a wall is oflittle importance, a slightly tilted brick in one of the corners mayresult in the whole course being out of line. As each brick at a cornerhas to be laid with great accuracy, the spirit level and/or plumb linehave to be used repeatedly and the process involves a large number ofmovements and is time consuming. A number of devices have recently beenintroduced in order to facilitate the construction of the corners; forexample, an angle iron fixed to the lower courses.

It is an object of this invention to provide a device which ensures theaccurate and efficient laying of bricks and which may be used by arelatively unskilled person.

According to this invention, a bricklaying device comprises a frameworkpositionable over a course of bricks, clamping devices attached to theframework for maintaining the framework in position on the bricks andblades for forming a mould around the upper surfaces of the bricks forreception of mortar.

The invention will be more readily understood from the followingdescription of two preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. I is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a device for usein laying bricks in single lines;

FIG. 2 is an underneath view of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, along lines IIl-Ill,ofFIG. 2, showing the device gripping a brick;

FIG. 4 is a front view of a skirt attachable to the device to facilitatevertical pointing of the laid bricks;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the device of FIG. I in place on the corner ofawall;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a device for laying bricks to form acavity wall;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the device shown in FIG. 6 in place on thecorner of a cavity wall;

8 is a perspective view of an attachment for ensuring that the bricksare vertical;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of a device for usein laying bricks in single lines;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view along line X-X of FIG. 9 on an enlargedscale and in more detail;

FIG. 11 is a similar view to FIG. 10 showing a different aspect of theembodiment of FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is a section view along line XII XII of FIG. 9 on an enlargedscale and in more detail showing the device gripping a brick;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of an attachment for ensuring that thebricks are vertical.

The device shown in FIG. 1, consists of a framework 1 made up ofparallel longitudinal struts 2 and 3, vertical struts 4, 5, 6 and 7 andcross struts l0 and 11. The longitudinal strut 2 is longer than thelongitudinal strut 3 to enable the device to be used at corners in amanner explained below. To increase the rigidity of the framework,longitudinal upper struts l2 and 13 may be added although they are notessential. In a simple form of the device, the frame work may be aone-piece construction of bars or tubes with the struts 2 and 3 spacedsufficiently to span the width of a standard brick. To allow the deviceto be used for laying bricks in other than the normal position and alsofor other types of building blocks, the spacing of the struts 2 and 3may be made variable by making the struts 10 and 11 (and the struts 12and 13 if present) telescopic.

As is more clearly shown in FIG. 2, flat faced plates 14 are attached toand extend the length of the struts 2 and 3. The plates 14 are biassed,for example, by means of springs 15, away from the struts 2 and 3. Theplates 14 are retractable towards the struts 2 and 3 by means ofsuitable handles (not shown) on the framework 1 and a suitable linkage(not shown), such as Bowden cables.

As shown in FIG. 3, a blade 16 is provided on the top edge of each ofthe plates 14. The device is placed in position on a previously laidcourse of bricks 17 by retracting the plates 14 towards the struts 2 and3, sliding the frame 1 over the bricks and releasing the plates so thatthey grip the sides of the bricks with the lower edges of the blades 16sitting on the upper edges of the bricks and projecting above the top ofthese bricks by a distance fractionally greater than the mortar requiredbetween the courses or between a first course and a wall base. Twospirit levels (not shown) are provided on the framework to ensure thatthe device is positioned horizontally in two planes. Spindles 19projecting from the outer surface of the blades 16 co-operate with flatsprings 20 provided on the plates 14 to allow a slight downward andoutward movement of the blades 16 as the bricks are tapped down. Thefact that the blades 16 sit on the upper edge of the course of bricks l7prevents the device sliding down the wall and means that there is littleneed to check the spirit level in the longitudinal direction, providedthe already laid course of bricks is accurate. Advantageously, a furtherlinkage is provided connected between the blades 16 and the handles onthe framework. This linkage is arranged so that when the handles areoperated, the first movement which takes place is a sliding action bythe blades 16 followed by a lateral movement of the blades 16 and theplates 14. This sliding movement is similar to the movement made with atrowel in pointing. Mortar 18 is placed on the underlying course ofbricks 17 so that it fills the space defined by the blades 16 andfurther bricks are placed one at a time on the mortar and tapped gentlydown. No further pointing is required for the horizontal joints as theshape, position and degree of movement of the blades 16 give the correctfinish to the joint. The blades 16 are preferably removable, allowingdifferent pointing effects to be obtained with differently shapedblades.

To allow pointing of the vertical joints to be carried out using thedevice, a skirt 21, e.g. of plastics material such as nylon orpolythene, as shown in FIG. 4 is provided on one or both of the plates14. The skirt 21 is provided with a top bar 22 which is a sliding fit ina suitably shaped slot 23 (FIG. 3) in the plate 14 or other suitableattachment and vertical ribs 24. The pointing of the vertical joints ofa course of bricks is done when the device is in position to lay thenext course. The skirt 21 is pressed against the joint by the bricklayerand mortar is then rammed down in the vertical joint from above, forexample, by the suitably shaped end of a trowel handle.

The use of the device for laying bricks to form a corner is clearlyshown in FIG. 5. The strut 2 being longer than the strut 3 allows thedevice to span a course of bricks in one direction whilst bricks arelaid in the perpendicular direction.

Referring to FIG. 6, a more complex device is shown which can be usedfor building cavity walls. This device consists of an identicalframework 1 to that shown in FIG. 1 with a further framework 25consisting of Iongitudinal struts 26 and 27, vertical struts 8 and 9 anda cross strut 30 attached to the framework 1 to provide a doublechannel. The arrangement of the struts 7, 8 and 9 enables the device tobe used at corners in a manner explained below. An extra longitudinalstrut 31 may be provided to increase the rigidity of the device. Theextra framework 25 is preferably removably attached to the framework 1so that the same device can be used for building single or cavity walls.spring loaded plates identical to the plates 14 are attached to thestrut 2 and both sides of the strut 3 and to the strut 26. The device isused in a similar manner to the simpler type explained hereinabove andit enables both walls to be built at once. A sheet of plastics materials(not shown) may be attached to the strut 3 so that the cavity is coveredand excess mortar is prevented from falling into the cavity.

FIG. 7 clearly shows how the arrangement of the struts allows bricks tobe laid at right angles to one another to form a corner.

It will be seen from the description given above that the positioning ofthe device on one course of bricks automatically ensures that the courseimmediately above will be true in the vertical and horizontal planes.However, bricks have imperfections and minute errors resulting therefrommay be magnified when carried over several courses. Consequently,(unless a plumb line is used) it is desirable for vertical accuracy tobe assured at corners and intermediate portions of wall by a methodwhich spans several courses, i.e. what the bricklayer does when hechecks the vertical accuracy of his wall by repeatedly applying hisspirit level against its face over several courses of bricks. Such avertical attachment 34 (two are advisable is shown in FIG. 8 andconsists of a rigid, flat faced portion 35 of sufficient length to spanseveral courses of bricks, fixed to an L- shaped bracket 36 containing anumber of apertures 36a (three are shown in FIG. 8). The attachment isfitted to the device by sliding the apertures 36a over suitably spacedstuds 37 on the struts of the device. A retractable projection 38 fitsinto the underside of the plate 14. This vertical attachment moves inthe horizontal plane of plate 14 to which it is attached and thereforeis in close contact with the brick face for the distance of the lengthof the vertical." When the gripping action of plate 14 is released, thevertical attachment also comes away from the wall face. This verticalattachment is also provided with a sliding or hinged portion 39 which isused at corners but can be retracted or folded back during constructionof intermediate sections of wall. The vertical attachment is alsoprovided with handles 40 and 41 and linkages, one to retract theprojections 38 to detach the vertical attachment from the plate 14 sothat it can be removed from the device and the other to control themovement of plate 14 when the vertical attachment 34 is attached to thedevice. The handle 41 and its associated linkage forces a spring loadedstud (not shown) against the framework 1 to force the attachment 34 awayfrom the framework and thus retract the plate 14. The handles 40 and 41enable the whole device to be controlled and moved. Similarly, the wholedevice, including excursions of the plate 14 and the vertical attachment34 can be controlled from the levers on top of the rigid framework. Itis not necessary to have a spirit level on the vertical attachment. Thelatter is constantly at right angles to the device and the spirit levelon this device which gauges the horizontal accuracy of the wall fromfront to back will automatically ensure that the vertical attachment isin the correct position.

The use of the vertical attachments avoids the time consuming re-sitingof the stretched piece of string for each succeeding course (once thebottom course has been laid) and erection of corners is more speedilyand accurately carried out avoiding a variety of movements required inthe traditional method.

A further embodiment of the device is shown in FIG. 9 and consists oftwo pairs of vertical frame members 101, 102 and 103, 104 and twohorizontal members and 106. The horizontal members 105 and 106 arehollow and are attached to the vertical members 103 and 104. Thevertical members 101 and 102 are provided with projecting portions(projecting portions 107 provided on the vertical member 101 is shown inFIG. 10), which extend into and are a sliding fit in the horizontalmembers 105 and 106. The vertical members 101, 102, 103 and 104 and thehorizontal members 105 and 106 could be of circular cross sectioninstead of the rectangular cross section shown. As shown in FIG. 10, acoil spring 109 is connected between the outer end of the projectingmember 107 and the vertical member 103, a similar spring being connectedbetween projecting portion of the vertical member 102 and the verticalmember 104. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 1 1, each vertical membermay be provided with a projecting member 107, 107a, in which case thesprings are connected between the inner ends of the projecting members107, 107a, and the hollow members 105 and 106 are not attached to thevertical members.

Flat faced plates 110, 111 are attached to the lower ends of thevertical members 101, 102 and 103, 104

respectively. The plate 111 is provided with spaced perpendicularlyprojecting pins 112, the purpose of which will be explained below.

As shown in FIGS. 10, a lever device 1 13 is provided for forcing thevertical members 101 and 104 away from one another against the bias ofthe spring 109. The lever 113 consists of a flat handle 114 and a hingemember 115. The hinge member 115 is pivotally attached to the handle 114at its mid point, and has one end attached to the vertical member 101and the other end attached to the vertical member 103. Pushing thehandle 114 towards the horizontal member 105 forces the vertical member101 away from the vertical member 103. A similar lever device exists onthe horizontal member 106. Two such hinge members are required on eachhorizontal member for the embodiment shown in FIG. 11 so that bothvertical members associated with a horizontal member are displaced.

To position the device on a previously laid course of bricks 118, thelever devices are operated and the plates 110 and 111 are slid over theprevious course of bricks until the pins 112 rest on the top of thebricks as shown in FIG. 12. Release of the lever devices 113 allows thevertical members to move inwardly so that the plates 1 and 111 grip thebricks due to the tension of the springs. The device is partly supportedby the pins 112 resting on the bricks. Further support for the device isprovided by an arm 116 which projects from the lower edge of the plate111 so as to abut the bricks 118. Also as shown in FIG. 12, the plate110 is provided on its upper edge with a blade 117 which projects abovethe top of the bricks in the same way as the blade 16 shown in FIG. 3.Mortar is placed on the previously laid course of bricks 118 and furtherbricks are placed one at a time on the mortar and tapped gently down.Portions 101a and 102a of the vertical members 101 and 102 (see FIG. 9)are formed so that there is a greater spacing between the pairs ofvertical member than between the plates 110 and 111. This greaterspacing allows easier maneuvering of a brick into position. The blade117 is mounted on the plate 110 so as to allow a slight downward andoutward movement of the blade 117 as the bricks are tapped down. Theblade 117 is also mounted so as to be longitudinally slidable relativeto the plate 110. This sliding movement is similar to the movement ofthe trowel in pointing and no further pointing is required for thehorizontal joints as the shape position and degree of movement of theblade 117 give the correct finish to the joint. The blade 117 ispreferably removable allowing different pointing effects to be obtainedwith differently shaped blades. A similar blade may be provided on theplate 111 if pointing is required on both sides of the bricks. In manycases however, no pointing is required on the inside of the bricks.

Pointing of the vertical joints may be carried out by means of a skirtin the same way as previously described. However, a different way ofattaching such a skirt 119 to the plates is shown in FIG. 12 in which aU-shaped member 120 is provided at the top of the skirt, the U-shapedmember being a sliding fit on a projecting flange 121 of the plate 1 10.

To allow the device to be used for laying bricks at a corner, the blade110 is longer than the blade 111. However, the blade 111 may be providedwith removable or hingeable extensions for use when bricks betweencorners are being laid. To allow the device to be used for buildingcavity walls, the blade 111 may be provided with apertures which allowbridging of the wall ties.

As shown in FIG. 13, a vertical attachment 122 for ensuring verticalaccuracy similar to that shown in FIG. 8 may be provided. In FIG. 13,the vertical attachment 122 is mounted on the device by means of ahollow horizontal member 123 on one end of the plate 110, and isretained therein by means of a releaseable locking mechanism. A similarhollow horizontal member may be provided on the other end of the plate110. The vertical attachment 122 is also provided with a sliding orhinged portion 124 which is used at corners but can be retracted orfolded back during construction of an intermediate section of a wall.The hinged portion is also useful for preventing mortar falling off whenlaying the end brick of a wall section.

The versatility of the device is illustrated by the fact that it can beused in three ways to build a wall:

1. From the first course up, the use of the device with the verticalattachments, obviates the use of string and isolated spirit levels. Someauthorities, however, considerthat no wall over, say 14 feet high shouldbe built by the use of spirit levels alone.

2. With the vertical attachments removed, the wall can be built by usingthe traditional stretched string along the top of the device.

3. With the vertical attachments removed, the wall can be built to anydesired height by the use of a plumb line at each corner and anintervening stretched string along the top of the device.

The device according to the invention allows bricks to be laid with aminimum waste of mortar and with a dryer mix than the traditional methodowing to the blades 16 forming a mould for the mortar. The use of thedryer mix means a reduction in the drying time and may obviate the useof plasticizers to make the mortar flow more easily. Also, the pointingcan be done during the bricklaying process, and bricklaying can becarried out by semi-skilled labor. In the case of a cavity wall,

bridging of the cavity by mortar falling on the ties or collecting atthe bottom and by-passing the damp course is prevented.

Iclaim:

1. A device for assisting in the laying of a new course of bricks on anexisting course of bricks, the device comprising a pair of battens,means for removably positioning said pair of battens with each batten inengagement with a respective side of the existing course of bricks, saidpositioning means comprising a pair of frames at least one of saidframes having a pair of upright members adapted to lie on opposed sidesof said existing course of bricks in use and a cross member joining saidpair of upright members at a level above the existing course of brickssuch as not to obstruct the laying of the new course of bricks, saidbatten members including means for forming a mould on top of the courseof bricks for the reception of mortar, and a flexible blade member, atleast one of said mould forming means comprising said blade member whichhas a shape such as to point the adjacent outer face of said mortarlayer, whereby the new course of bricks can be placed on the existingcourse with the device in place.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the positioning meanscomprises means for biassing the battens towards one another to grip therespective sides of the existing course of bricks.

3. A device according to claim 2, wherein said positioning meansincludes means for producing relative movement of the battens in adirection to separate the battens whereby to remove the device from theexisting course of bricks.

4. A device according to claim 1, including two frame members, eachjoining rigidly one of said frames to the other at positions whereby inuse, each frame member is positioned on a respective side of theexisting course, the positioning means comprising a plurality of springseach attached to one batten and the adjacent frame member for biassingsaid batten relative to the frame member towards the other batten so asto grip the existing course of bricks.

5. A device according to claim 1, including two frame members, eachjoining one of said frames to the other at positions whereby, use, eachframe member is positioned on a respective side of the existing course,each batten being rigidly fixed to one of said frame members, thepositioning means comprising springs extending between the frame membersfor biassing the frame members towards one another so that the battensgrip the respective sides of the existing course of bricks.

6. A device according to claim 2, wherein both of said frames include apair of upright members and a cross member joining said upright memberspart of said cross members being hollow and said springs being housedwithin said hollow cross members.

7. A device according to claim 3, wherein each cross member comprises ahollow member attached to one of said upright members and a projectingmember attached to the other upright member and slidable within thehollow member.

8. A device according to claim 3, wherein said positioning meansincludes two lever devices, one associated with each frame and eachconsisting of a hinge member hinged about a mid point thereof, and meanspivotally connecting one end of the hinge member to one of the uprightmembers and the other end to the other of the upright members, wherebymovement of the hinge causes relative movement of the battens in adirection to separate the battens whereby to remove the device from theexisting course of bricks.

9. A device according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of pins aremounted on one of the battens so as to project therefrom for supportingthe device on the existing course of bricks.

10. A device according to claim 1, wherein said flexible blade isslidably mounted on said batten.

11. A device according to claim 1, including a skirt, and means forattaching the skirt to one of the battens, the skirt being shaped toeffect pointing of the vertical joints between the bricks.

12. A device according to claim 1, including two spirit levels and meansmounting the spirit levels on the device for ensuring the horizontalpositioning of the device.

13. A device according to claim 1, including means for ensuring that thecourse of bricks is laid accurately in the vertical plane.

1. A device for assisting in the laying of a new course of bricks on anexisting course of bricks, the device comprising a pair of battens,means for removably positioning said pair of battens with each batten inengagement with a respective side of the existing course of bricks, saidpositioning means comprising a pair of frames at least one of saidframes having a pair of upright members adapted to lie on opposed sidesof said existing course of bricks in use and a cross member joining saidpair of upright members at a level above the existing course of brickssuch as not to obstruct the laying of the new course of bricks, saidbatten members including means for forming a mould on top of the courseof bricks for the reception of mortar, and a flexible blade member, atleast one of said mould forming means comprising said blade member whichhas a shape such as to point the adjacent outer face of said mortarlayer, whereby the new course of bricks can be placed on the existingcourse with the device in place.
 2. A device according to claim 1,wherein the positioning means comprises means for biassing the battenstowards one another to grip the respective sides of the existing courseof bricks.
 3. A device according to claim 2, wherein said positioningmeans includes means for producing relative movement of the battens in adirection to separate the battens whereby to remove the device from theexisting course of bricks.
 4. A device according to claim 1, includingtwo frame members, each joining rigidly one of said frames to the otherat positions whereby in use, each frame member is positioned on arespective side of the existing course, the positioning means comprisinga plurality of springs each attached to one batten and the adjacentframe member for biassing said batten relative to the frame membertowards the other batten so as to grip the existing course of bricks. 5.A device according to claim 1, including two frame members, each joiningone of said frames to the other at positions whereby, use, each framemember is positioned on a respective side of the existing course, eachbatten being rigidly fixed to one of said frame members, the positioningmeans comprising springs extending between the frame members forbiassing the frame members towards one another so that the battens gripthe respective sides of the existing course of bricks.
 6. A deviceaccording to claim 2, wherein both of said frames include a pair ofupright members and a cross member joining said upright members part ofsaid cross members being hollow and said springs being housed withinsaid hollow cross members.
 7. A device according to claim 3, whereineach cross member comprises a hollow member attached to one of saidupright members and a projecting member attached to the other uprightmember and slidable within the hollow member.
 8. A device according toclaim 3, wherein said positioning means includes two lever devices, oneassociated with each frame and each consisting of a hinge member hingedabout a mid point thereof, and means pivotally connecting one end of thehinge member to one of the upright members and the other end to theother of the upright members, whereby movement of the hinge causesrelative movement of the battens in a direction to separate the battenswhereby to remove the device from the existing course of bricks.
 9. Adevice according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of pins are mounted onone of the battens so as to project therefrom for supporting the deviceon the existing course of bricks.
 10. A device according to claim 1,wherein said flexible blade is slidAbly mounted on said batten.
 11. Adevice according to claim 1, including a skirt, and means for attachingthe skirt to one of the battens, the skirt being shaped to effectpointing of the vertical joints between the bricks.
 12. A deviceaccording to claim 1, including two spirit levels and means mounting thespirit levels on the device for ensuring the horizontal positioning ofthe device.
 13. A device according to claim 1, including means forensuring that the course of bricks is laid accurately in the verticalplane.